Fluid-pressure apparatus



F. E. MATTHEWS, FLUID PRESSURE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED Ams. 191s.

j ,ggzlfgcfj Patented July 12, 1921 atroz" e145 l llilFFlCE@ 1,384, if' Specification s Letters Application led April To all whom may concern:

Be it known that l, Fuso ll). MATTHEWS, u citizen of the United States, residing at Leonie, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, lieve invented certe-in new and useful llnprovenients in Fluid-Pressure Apparatus, of which the following is a specilieation.,

My invention, relates to fluid pressure epparatus and inore particularly to that type in which automatic safety pressure relier valves may he used to prevent failure of a part or purts oiA such apparatus under excessive internal pressure. lt is especially applicable to'apparatus which contains inliamniafhle, asphyxiating, or oli'ensive fluids which may give rise to additional lire hazards, danger to lite) bodily discomfort, or financial loss when such 'luids are (lisehurged lo the atmosphere through known forms of pressure relier' valves.

Une of the objects oi' my invention is to reduce danger to lite and property due to disruptive pressures Within suoli iiuid pressure apparatus. nother object ot my invention is to reduce danger to life and property due to the ineens nou' employed for 'preventing' suoli disruptive pressures. Uther objects will he iu part obvious and in. part hereinal'fter pointed out.

l propose to ami-empl ish the above objects among others through the nuire :general application of improved safety devices to suoli uy'iparatus uuule practicable through means 'for insuring safety without entailingprohibitive Huid loss during;- sueh time as such safety devices are inoperative under conditions of normal pressure.

ln order that a eleur perception of the present invention may he had it may he said to consist in general of the employment, in combination with lluid pressure apparatus, ot' one or more pressure relief valves of such peculiar design :is will permit them to function suhstaiitially as descrioed under the influence of predetermined initial pressures, substantially unall'ected hy the pressure or pressures against which they discharge. Similar or dilierent types o devices respol-.sive to pressures materially lower than that 'of the system proper 'for diseharging from the system :ire employed :for the vfluid which passes such pressure relief valife or. valves us well es means foi'V wie, serial ne.

taking up the luid het-Ween suoli pressure relier elements und the pressure discharging element lor reduci; to a practical ininimiiun the amount orf fluid ultimately discharged from the system.

While l do nel; huilt the application. of my invention to suolisystem7 the one most eininentlg7 fitted. the purpose of illustrating its applies tion, here both the intrinsic value of the fluid und fue serious und ohvious -diszul'runtu .Vinci nt touts liberar l tion into the. atniosi'bhere? und the one which 'l therefore employ in, the following descrip- "tion 'is en' ammonia refrigeration system. lThis is understood to typify fluid pressure systems in general', and ammonia, hereinafter frequently referred to in the speeiiication and rluiuis as "trelrigerant to typify fluids in general,

in the ease ot retrigsratir'in machines, the

high intrinsic value of the working media not only makes the oost of a given quantity of Huid lost u much more important item than in the case of steun'i, ior example, but in some cases, notably that oli' the refrigerant anhydrous ammonia, the Workingj-pressure is not only higher, huit the ability of the medium to pass through very small openings due to its molecular construction, is greater under the saine pressure, both of which elements luither tend "to greatly iuerease tl e expense resulting' from valve discharge und leerlinge entailed hy present safety 'vuli'e protection. Un amount of this expense und other `d'isudVantzufges incident to leakage of refrigerant through automatic pressure relie/t valves it has heen proposed to replaee there hy devices employing eare- .fully lubricated plates, designed to rupture and release cneruuit ut a predeter- .iniued pressure, but the furets that there is no Way 'for determining at exactlywhat pressure such pluies will fail exeept hy the destruction or' the plete, eudthet such plates, eren when mrefully stanfglerdized fail under test et Widely different pressures, makes their use directly under the maximum safe pressure to he eontrolledkprohihitive, especially sinre uncertainty of failure between comparu ely narrow predetermined pressure liinits muy result disastrously to the system theyere'employed to protect.

he exeetbreuifiug point of suoli plates, indeed that el ell ineelipnieel parte, loecomes ot less importance, however, as the factor of safety increases, or in the cose in question, as the Working margin between the point of probable failure and that of enger increases.

It, for exemple, a plate made to withstand a Working pressure of 3,00 pounds is lilrely not to break in practice until that pressure has been exceeded by 50%,- or until u pres sure of 450 pounds is reached, its ,use would be impracticeble. @n the other hund, the devising of means whereby the protection of the system depends upon the rupture 4olf a plate expected to brezil( et l0 pounds, for exlample, but which might break under the same 50% overleed et l5 pounds, under the original factor of uncertainty olf 50%, the breed/:ing pressure will still be for below that required for the sere operation of the sys tem. A safe 'Working pressure oi" BGG pounds :for exemple, would beA thirty times the probable, and twenty times the above essumed possible, vloreulnng pressure of such a dii vzu; plate, and, having :i factor of safety of tromtwenty to thirty it mighttherefore be safely de ended upon for protection.

ileit is obvious from the foregoing,

that the breaking ot s plate een not be safely relied upon under high pressure as a` suo stitute for the opening of o, vulve, and plete therefore can notrlogicully replace a high pressure valve it may nevertheless, be employed with the utmost saietv under low pressure, in series with high pressure valves to prevent, for the time being, the escape of lou7 pressure ges.

With the usuel 'forms ci' safety vulves, however, this would be iinprscticable since the variable arzcuniulstingr between the plates and the high pressure relief valve would verlzxrbly ai'icct the pressure at which. such valves would function, the use of a speci-ul type ci' safety valve, however, "which operates :it the predetermined' pres sure for which it is set rcfurdless of the pres sure discharged agci et, an accumulating-r pressure sulie e t to rupture plate would have sub-etant no effect on the safety ot' the system',

lier present purposes it is necessary to describe the gus pressure relief valve employ only as e valve capable. of passing gas in either direction et a predetermined pressure, the opening of the valve being substantially unaffected by e pressure on the discharge side of the valve. In other Words such a valve will be opened by the excess pressure of the medium entering the valve, over the substantially constant external pressure of the utmosphere lus en adjustably constant pressure imposed by ay spring or other presiv sure im 'sing device; lt may be ointed out that it 1e necessary to carefully 'ilferentiate between this type of. valve and the ordinary pressure relief or safety valve, the opening;

Leers?? I. of which depends not woolly on tne pressure to be relieved but on the difference between that und the pressure discharged against.

it is obvious that the maximum protection 'against increases above that point. ln the ideal case only, in which they open under an increusingpressure less a substantially constant discharge pressure, do they function practically the same as the valves l employ, which latter operate equally Well under other conditions, being suhstan ially unai liet-ted by either constant or variable dise charge pressures. Such a` valve, functioning ut any predetermined pressure for which it is udiusted, unatfected by the pressure discharged against, provides for the reliefof all abnormal pressures. At the saine time a gas tight plate or diaphragm, ruptureble by a sufficiently low pressure to insure absolute safety, may be employedl to prevent, absolutely,.any loss of refrigerant by either leakage or discharge through such valves until such time as a pressure 'suliicient to rupture the plate or diaphrugn'x has accumulated. Such u pressure may readily be suiiciently high topermit the. use of refrigerant conserving;n 'means such as is hereinafter described. f

The importance as well as the scope of my invention can best be explained by the aid of the accompanying drawings iorminpv a part of this specification, in Which-- Figure l is au diagrammatic representation of a refrigeration system, and Fig. 2 is a section of one of the valves. -Reterring to these drawings l indicates o compressor of a compression intrigo-intimi sylsten'wtor imposing the 'high pressure necessary for the liquefac'- tion of the refrigerant. The refrigerant Sfapor is liquefied in condenser 2 bythe effect of cooling;r Water (not indicated) and the pressure developed by pump l.. A receiver` or reservoir 3 is provided for the liquefied re, rigei'ant, and an expansion valve 4 controls the flow of liquid refrigerant to a refrigerator coil as evaporator 5 in which the liquefied refrigerant evaporates undcrreduced pressure thereby ext-r*l ctng heat from, and accordingly refrigerating the surrounding objects or material. Represented at 6, 7, S und l) are pressure relief valves of u* special type forming' the subject of. an zipplication for Letters Patent on improvement in valves,7 liled'dune lst, 1917, Serial Number 172,212. A device l1 is provided having,` a rupturahle diaphragm or pla-te capablo ol 'either autonatic or hand actu-tion for discharging gases accumulating therein, either directly to the atmosphere, es for exloe4 limpie tlirougli e steek l2, or indirectly, ee for example 'through e diffuser 13 into e ooliy of Writer continued in e tank' 14- by "rrliioli the gaeee muy be absorbed euri cont 'eorveth or into tbe sewer lifter being mixed emple, would require the nee or the erlriitional soiet" rolvee 1.9 end 20.

Hering; time brieliy set forth the objects of roy ijure tion unil tlie general. mee-ns iior their :irooiiiilielimeot, l will new proeeeai to wel deeoriptioii of the roeelieiiieel le special devices employ l 1- ie shown. semi-zliegreinuietieell iro veil :safety vulve sur-b. es has ulreadr'been .1

constructed :md successfully ogereterl under preotieei Conditions in connection 'with reirotion systems of email copeeity. The Je comprises essentially o eentrel body 2l movida-:fl with tlie fluirl poeszrges', :mi 21 5 :lull 9,7', end inlet eind out o? eoiroeetirgg; peeseges emi 551i? tbe eiul or passoire connecting; with rei' terioiimtiue' ifo e vulve sent 30. pliregms Sl emi- 323 ere clamped between body portion ."l emi recessed cover platea uml Se ood. ai el opreesion member le .iii-- torpoeefl betreten rlieplirugme 3l end 32 mici muy be zitter/bell to either dieplirognii, but not to boi-li. rliupliregme, This member paseos V .Tli o pu ,o5 meoileuioully iiieepziole Keure :from recess to below diepli. n. l, oo ii'leteble Stop 355 limite tbe movement oi @regio 3l us Well es ilistemls tiret tlieplrl m to cause member to trui/remit pressure lo iiupliragirl 32. mire 3'? ferriecl by diaphragm,

vil

correte with relro Seel; fill, eiirl e e'iriig 38 beers egeioet rliupiiregir?. 3Q ou the eide opposite elve E? is etljueobie to preeeure by etop fili, otior, of spring 38 is to eii'orri L ble, eubetfiritielly consti-riot9 predetereffl., pressure ori pliregiu' et or meer its renter, for the pu pose of reusing; valve 37 to prese lioioe ou rel seat S130, @hereby eieo tively closing pes-serre Whenever the pres-- eure exerted by lille spring 38 is greater than that exerted in tbe opposite direction by the fluid pressure iu reeese 2G. Therelve is my pelle oi' passing juirl in either direetiorl urifler subetuntieiiy tbe seme pressure, illy constructing my relire as above described, it will be een tiret preseure entering through 5% or .t Willftjetld unseat valve v, eetioiizil View of one form ol my iru-` 37, emi, therefore, es distinguished from ordinary check valves, pressure at the outlet side of tlie valve Willi not tend to seat the valve, and in this way its operation is substantially unaffected by the pressure discharged against.

The refrigerant conserver 1G suoli es liesolreefiy been constructed und operateiluuder practical conditions consists oi: e pressure vresistentrorlteiiier '4l-l, surrounded, by un conserver is large or the quantity of tbe refrigerant teken up is smell, in both of which eases only u small amount of heet, compared to the superficiel euriuee of the container, will lie-generated by the union of the coro 'polimi miel tlie refrigerant, air cooling may subsituterl lier Writer cooling and this outer. container 42 dispensed with. Since lieet is normally. employed for driving the refrigerant out'othe absorbent compound, it may be effectively introduced through a coil of pipe 4l Within container 41, which pipe coil may oleo be'used for the introclue tion' of cooling Writer. The ammonio; ooieerver may eseume e large number oi? forme. iu some of which when es in tlie oase shown only comparatively small absorbent surface would otherwise be eiqaosed to the refrigeruiit, euch surileee may be largely increased. ieri 'ee fiction of uniting the absorbent or react-eut with the refrigerant, mey be largely eolizmoecl the employment oi perforated pipes eli. f

The device l1 is provided with en easily l ruptureble ilioplirugiu for allowing the' igerzmt 'to eeoepe from the system through los lf2 .ll-fi, ifi or lli should ebriormelly lugli pressures occur in the pipe connecting it with releve 8 because oi' abnormally heavy discharge through valve 8 or failure, es upon saturation of the refrigerant absorb ent or reeotzmt compound 43 in tbe refrigerfurt oonserver 16, to'taite 'up the re"l"ri .,ermit discharged through 'valve 8. i

in its simplest forro this' device li. cou taining e plaie or diaphragm oi :my suit* able material ruptureble it e preclelermiuerl pressure? ooueistslesseritielly oi"- only e, flange union or its meclieiiicel equivalent, between lll() the two memberetof which the rupturiiigl y libe-ration, by hond or by e predetermined refrigerant pressure Working through some auxiliary agency, of u normally restrained superior diaphragm rupturiiig force, such for exemple as might be exererl hg; u stili; spring or by the saine reirigerzin pressure eating on u sulicienti Y large rires.. The liherVM ation of this superior forse might ooviously he controlled romh consideruhle Clisi-ence hy the employment o ffi pipe 'ii-or eondiwtn ing` the refrigerant or other jfluid pressure, by electrical means, or by numerous oheu devices eonmionly employed for similar dis-i tance control purposes.

The relief vulve device l0 represens means including u pressure resiousive device il?, u signaling cle-rice 47;. aud a signal ing device actuating' means i8, reused to orersi'e 'by the pressure responsive device for giving' audible Wuming chat the gressure wirhin sluit part oi' iLhe conduitv 'between the refrigerant conserving ineens 1S und the refrigerant liberating' means 1l, approach ing the rupturingr pressure of the diziphrugni of such refrigerant liber-sting; means. A pressure gage 16 gives similar` visible warning. A, duplicate of such uu lible und visible vurning devices Connected to dischargeline 5() n'iay he employed if Clesired to indicate condiiions oi inuiending operation oi? the suieuy vulve 8.

Gages 5l and .312 und *vulves 53, and 56 are unessentiul in so fur :is die func tiouing ol the uuomutie safety devices herein described ure concerned. Their eruployinent is provided for however in cerziin codes oi szil'ev regulutions, their functions beingr io 'facilitate niunuul discharge from the system in use of lire.

lr-loving thus pointed out the mechanical means which l employ in my invention` und indicated something: olf their construction., l will now proceed to describe `their operution in i system employing zin'hjifilrous uiuinoniu for the production oi refrigeration hy thecoinpression process. Under condiions or normal or forward operation 'ehe refrigerant raporleuif'ingg the refrigerator ui'uler compsruilively lou' pressurmis su A. the :notion of the 'compressor for inrrezisingf its pressure, lifter which it is discharged through u stop 'sire 5T (und sometimes ucheok vulve 58) in the discharge line 30. condenser 2. Where upon. being' Cooled. it liquefies und flows by gravity through u stop vulve 59 into the liquid receiver E3 from which it flows, still under pressure. to expansion Viilves i, 60 and Si on various evnporators which muy consist oi expansion coils7 such as 5 or shell xn-ine coolers such as 1T or 1S in which the refrigerant is evaporated h v heut absorbed Jfrom the air und cold hriue respon-lively. From the e 'operators the vuporir/,ed refrigerant again posses under low prossure to the coinpresso:1 or other pressure imposing ineens.

From the foregoing it is apparent that pension. 'rulifes and the pressure Wind lo reversi-. operi tios, ,i 'rali/'es 62 sind 5T respectively. :ire

and ii wire l in bly-pass Si. is fuori nieh refrigeration sysem7 und store low pressure side o' i'he sysi ing that 'perthe syst-ein leiwee;

in die in eoniiiris ineens. To ruis chung@ Whieh case i'e'l'rigrer will he orswi ihe high side through pig und disrh'srge inio meules pipes 65, @il and 6l'. lhidcr i tice.y `ooinh of the lijf-puse (Se :ire provided wizh the usm. ry hund actuated sioii valve' oi which only is reiuil'iecl in my sqsem, o'her one heinef already embodied in the special sfiieiy valve 7 installed :in il-he remaining; hypess pipe 35, 6.

ln either the. ier-werd or Jalie rever opersion just described she folle-wies' tingeiieies to he provided for niej: u

l. The hier supply msj; mii. oi the e densers wiring rise io ehiiorinel preferirethe nigh sulle of lhe Such oon tion unless ,remedied me.; eresie rh: LIUHSl'xV. To meer Jrhis and other foiiiinge. cies l employ two miiorhfrl-ie Valves ii' through which the reirigereiiilou u precleerniinecl pressure, is passed "Eo the low side of he :freni: shui pressure accumulates on tihigli end low @if lihe sjifsi'zem s #lilly 'iii erress of ilizii .luired 1o sie valves (i mul '7? Valve will lo n di Charge ille iff i Meer loro coiufiuiJ (which herein: te :i normally 'l'iluirl righi, eheinleel u conveys it o the refrigersiii; eoi means 1G.' in he eveni ihel', iiieniher is not able ro maintain e. eonipararively low pressure by disposing of the gas, finally, as a last resort to the diaphragm surety device il which upon openingTA discharges iiA from lis not opened when the in n condition. Winch may kre essere 2: Abnormel pressure in the pressure iin-4, posing? elementif, may also reenlt from acci dental ,closing-oir tenure to open discharge .velve 5'4" in which event refrigerant discha-rgeffi, not e'olc te' pese valve 5', traverses pipe te e cross 68 where three.

paths ere provided.: l cen either pces through valve 6 to pip r in the lngii. pres.-

sore side of the system, through valve 7 to pipe (57 in 'the lcr.-1 pressiire side7 through vslvei to pipe 70 in cese L 3. Under the condition corresponding 'to cese l, arisingiy'iienheej/stein is in reverse operationj that is, when 'lack et' coolingr effect on the normally low pressure sideoiv the system (new 'the discharge side) which like failure oi condensing Water in case l may result in abnormal pressures, the discharged vapors, not ice ecie pero through 'valve leeceuse o the liigii pres sure beyond, ere cntonieticeily by-peseed f heck to pipe in the normeily inge sure side (new the suction side) through velve 6, or should pressure on both sides of the system become abnormal, ere elisclmrged to pipe tlxrongii valve 8 es in case 'L Li?. Reverse operetine` conditions corresponding to ,ese il, time tliose .in which I vulves G3 in tire disch f iii/ness linef.

1 e is reversed? die stress-ly in systems they sire usos-ily conetrcted, ALive' rise to no other action than that: the vapors wiil be discharged tlirongh valve 7 operating entoinetici'tly under the pressure to 'which itis eoljusted instead of non-entomziticztlly en ordinary bend operated b37- pess valve et solnewict'lower pressure, or be liv-passed beck tlie discharge iinc 50 {now ille si on linie) through valve 6? or discharged through valve 8 in event of elnorinnl pressure there-also9 to pipe T0, in esse l.

5. Similarly it een be shown time in event either the high or tiie lows7 side of t'ne system becomes the source of abnormally high pressure instead oi? pressure imposing clement 2i., :is may occur in cese of fire7 valves G and 7 will first function to equalize suchA eiinormslly high pressure between pipes 50 :md 6i' in tire high and the low sides of the system respectively, end then, should soie. limits be czfoced'ed` veli/e Si will dis cl'lerg'e the reiiritig'erfini iiirouefli pipe 70 to the refrigerant conserver 16 and diaphragm discharging device il in cese l.

6.'notlwr serious source of danger lies in the possibility ci' closing; :ill outlet vnives on liquid receivers which may 'have become so completely filled with liquid :is io :lilord no ens space into wliicln by lie compression 'of iiiw ;zfns the liquid may expend under o subsequent risc in. temperetnre. Sinon. dimger is avoided oy tile use of another similar,

,picots and would oe much greater were it' thongh possibly very milch smaller automatic relief vrilve 9, installed between the receiver 3 und some other port of the system,

such as discharge line 50, connectingthe pressure imposing Ineens to the condenser.

7. in still other contingencies such as when brine coolers or siieii' type are designed for operation under low pressure which may be exceeded if eil outlet valves are closed7 other similar automatic pressure reieit valves 'suoli es 19 end 2O may be employed to advantage, in which cese they would be connected to the brine coolers below stop valves 71 and 72 end so connected, since these coolers operate under low pressure, as to discharge into pipe between valve 8 end the refrigerant discharge eloment 11. Snc'n eutcmetic pressure relief valves may, ii desired7 beset to discharge eeen et adiierent pressure as the strengths of the containers and their .working pressores may require.

'Still another important epplietion of my invention from the standpoint of ret'riger-` ant conservation, is the transferring back to lie system, vic the refrigerant conserver, of the refrigerant which leaks ont through compressor piston rod smiling boxes. This loss fis considerable-even in weli operated not for tiie tightness V,with which such stui'- ing boxes have to be packed in order to withu stond the'liign condensing pressure imposed by the compressori/"f, Direct saving of emmonia leakage, through such stuffing-boxes, due to increased vpressure on the pecking is doubly disadvantegeous, not only in that it results in direct loss of power, and the fuel required to produce it, but also in that the neet' generated by the excessive 'friction .105

hestens. the dissociation oi' the refrigerant. liyfopplying en. auxiliary stuffing box outside the customary one, vand by connecting the cmmber formed between the two, to

pipe F0 beyond valve 8, the primary stniiing 110 box cnn be operated more loosely, the' increased amount of refrigerant leaking therethrough being; token up :md Conserved in the refrigerant conserver and the fuel consumed in producing the excessive. rod loven 115 ine; :ind the dissociation produced. byl such lxeeting :1re largely eliminated.

Full protection -iigninst disruptive pres* eures will he realized in eny part of the system tlins equipped when its pressure relielfY 120 valve is set to discharge et any pressure above that oil clement 11. Full protection against less of refrigerant will be realized when sueient unsatisfied refrigerant absorbent capacity is provided in the refrigerant conserving element 16. The Work-of maintaining: adequate refrigerant absorbing capacity in eiement l?) is facilitated by mires 737 und. 74 on pipes i0 and ML pressure gege 46 :md the electrical signalingde Iii) tively objectionable vices 47.. The gage-indicates the exact pressure and the signaling; device pressures above a predetermined point, v

The means for conserving the ammonia that passes the valves either by leakage due to pressures below those for which they are set to discharge, or by actual discharge at these pressures, may very Widely with ditferent systems ot' refrigeration and also with the same system under different operating conditions.

Ln some cases the usual operating suction pressure of the pressure imposing means will be sufficiently low to allow of its return direc-t to the system through pipe 75 controlled by valve 76 and provided with a check valve 77 to prevent refrigerant flow yin the opposite direction. lVhere suction.

pressures do not permitot this procedure the refrigerant conserving device 1G is employed. lt should have separate pipe. connections to pipes 50 provided with sto valves 73 and 74%., the 'former being' open ant the lat-- ter heiner closed While the conserver is taking up the refrigerant, and the former being; closed and the latter ope-n'when the refrigerant so taken up is being; returnedr to the' lsystem.

The refrigerant conserver in the general case is essentially a pressure resistant con 'tainer filled with a substance capable of taking into solution or entering into chemical combination with the refrigerant under com paratively low pressures and normal cooling water temperatures and from which the frigersnt insy be again. seperet-ed by the? application of heet under suiiicient pressure to allow of its return to, and liqueiaction in, the condenser.

The medium employed in element 'i6 for taking; up the refrigerant varies 'widelywith different refrigerant-s and cli'erent systems. In machines of the ammonia absorption type for example thearnmonia from several safetyvalves may be absorbed in Weak aquaLa-mmonia which, after thereby becoming strong aqua-anin'ionia, could either be pumped into the niein generator of the system, or, Where the ernennt-s of ammonia are small, it might be driven out of solution and into the condenser by the simple application of heat to the refrigerant conserving element.

In machines of the ammonia compression be used as the absorbing element if the refrgerent is not to be returned to the refrigeration system bat if' the refrigerant is to be returned to theo-system, the use of Water or a 11a-ammonia becomes Iprbl'iibitendency of the'weter vapor to pass over to the condenser with that of the ammonia. Since it is imperative that, the ammonia employed in refrigeration systems of the comabsorbed.

because of the inherent nasen-'rr with it annnoniates or so called addition products, by positive chemical reactions talrin T )lace between fixed rooortlons of the c l L substances in coniorrnrty to known chemical laws. A large number of substances existcapalile of formino such addition products, among the most commonly known of which may be mentioned anhydrous-copper sul- Yfate and aseries ot salts of alkaline earth metals. Since the react-ion or' formation of anrrnoniates with such substances takes place accompanied by evolution of heat, cooling incans such for example as water jeckt 42 shown in Fig. l, or an'internal cooling; coil prei-'iousiy inentioi'1eo, should be provided `when large quantities of ammonia are to be Where the amount of ammonio is quite small however, as in the case of only slight leakage through automatic safety or other types of valves, the/heat generated by the reaction will usually be dissipated by ,direct radietiontast enough toprevent rise in temperature to the point where it will prohibitivelyfreterd thereaction, and allow an accumulationl of'pres.- sure above Athat tor-Which the diaphragm device ll is set to discharge.

W' hen the compound employed in the conserver has become inactive because ot liaving united with practically its full coinplernent of refrigerant, it is broken dow-n into its original components by the application of lleat. During this dissociation process valve '73 between the conserver and pipe 70 is closed and valve 74 between that element and the condenser is opened.

The refrigerant 'va-por driven into the condenser by this process is anhydrous and accordingly gives rise to no operating complications in either compression or reaction' machines. it is obvious that' for conven-J ige lar to those-)already described, or, since rit.

will not be cnlled'upon to discharge against f pres-europe( safety-Valve ot the usuel-type in piece hit the diaphragm device 11; A satety vai' henso used would(besettor dischargeistL d that et the pressure relief valves 19 and- 20,-

ji. pressere so much lower than j f "l A J i laisses?? has with eieiens operation orf eousermnff device-16 die leakage therethrough would los slight; because of the still lower pressure sustained by elle refrigerant, conserving ineens. f'

lli-ledig' hhs method or'.' operaiaiou of the safety sysem l propose muy be described as follows:' In event of the rapid accumula bien of excessive pressures iu amy pers oi the system the special eutoiuefic vulve prof, tecsiug time pari; will iml'ned reel` relieve thugs peri by passing u portion @if i e Werl? ing iiuid into a common discharge pipe closed by the diaphragm, which dieplirsgm, iu event the refrigerant conservingrmeans does not constantly operaie to maintain a Isuilicieriily reduced pressure between the vulves and sucii diaphragm will ine usai'tljy swept away allowing an unrestricted. flischsrgge of the refrigerant to the atmosphere or other point of disposal.

To prevent loss of refrigerant under ull pressures below that uecesery so rupsure the diaphragm, as Well s per of it Wliiey, it is being discharged after the' rupture l the diaphragm, since a. hack pressure of 0 pounds is allowable in the discharge pipe, the reiirigerautA conserving means shove mentioned and hereinafter vdescribed iu greater detail, is employed, The capacity oihis conservilnggmeans should loe suflicieu' to preveus lie accumulation of suiiicieut pressure, due to valve leakage. to rupture the diaphragm. The diaphragm .shouldy fail only when the full 'force oi. the refrig eraui is liberated by the opening of one or more of the special safety pressure relief vulves, in case of excessive pressure, or shut. of the hand operated valves employed for discharging the refrigerant fromv Jalle system in case of lire.

In the worlriiigout of the system all of the safety protection provided for iu the present code oi regulations for reirigersiiou plants has been provided ifor7 as 'well es several possible conditions which might arise due to lire, und all vv'itlioui loss of refrigeu :mi under normal operating conditions as long as the conserving means is kept in a constantly receptive condition. lt is oloVions that the loss due to the aggregate leal:- agre of u large number of safety vulves discharging into the atmosphere, as now employed, mayV become enormous, especially since such valves, once blown' oy pressure re sulting cit-lier from regular operatiug'oouditions or those imposed for test purposes, seldom resea tightly until they have been cleaned und not infredueiitly not until the seuts lhave been regrouud, a requirement difficult aud often impossible to satisfy under conditions oi. commercial operation. Under time serious conditions of ammonia shortage', obtaining' in war times, the loss of that Huid' through safety valves, and through disyciu-urge under sluioriuul. and i el usd` L iiormal eoiidifcioiis, rus-lues slee of lie enf; safety means demanded vby municipal sud Sulle regulations 'for public'seis-dyS prud lzically prohibitive 1 ll therefore provide in mi] 'iiweirtioiu mesme for: conducting sway under los pre-s; sure, und for cruiservingg muy pers oi? me media ha muy 'pues slowly 'by leaiisec er einher-Wise, and i provide slss for in cupe, under a predesei mined higher lower than eine normal workings si tenir-of any media iu excess of' iii lie conserving meausis aoie so slssr because of. soo rapid' essaye oi? i or failure oi sire cesser tion, which may occlr Nlieisu allvseiiieui o u resetiugmediuu is uliowed ilo salie full complement of rei' iff' i le will slierefore 'be seem i w invention is designed to accomplish ilu s liable and efficient islamici" :all ci? 'the obliecz and advantages herein sei"l iorili.

l claim:

l. In fluid pressure apperuliusa u cruce` lili' lxiiiatioma normally duiddight chamber, ar

tornati@ high pressure relief menus foin juss-- ing fluid into said liuidsigglii c user@ means conueced Wili said chamber :lud re-A sponsive to a relaiii/'elj/f' muizerislly losser l pressure peruiiizsiug ydiscliaigge oli elio iiuid from said cliaf'ulserj aud (j ussrviug .means including medium csps'iie oil sie sorbiug die duid at pressures below elle* 'oec--I essary to scuate lie -iuid discharging li means.. f

ln uluid pressure aoparuius is. bins'tiou, a :normally iiuid tight clisullier sutomatic liigrh pressure relieii ineens im pss ing I'iuid into said iuid-nigia clxamlier lo" means connected with seid chamber ioi* con! l serving the fluid so passed ou the ofiseurreuce of high pressure and by lealruge tiu'ous'li.

pressure lower than tliei; required "so actuaire die lug-li pressure reliei sesos for peiuis tins* discharge of lie fluid from ilse uol mally fluid tight cheminer. l

In a fluid pressure appsrsusfl in comicination, a normally fuid righi; cliemloer, iu'iv tornai-,ic high pressure relief means for pass*A ing; fluid into said normally. fluid rigrlu chamber, means connected Willi seid chamloer for conserving the fluid so 'passedou the occurrence of liigii pressure aud by leakage tln'ougli seid reliel3 means 'under lovspies# sure, aud a normally :duid liebt los rrier, ruim tumble by a pressure materially lower i5-lieu filmt required `.5o uetusie die piessure reiief means for; permiliug disearse of f from the 'normally iiuid sight elias/ober.

4. Ins lliligl pressure apparatus, iu combi netion,s*izurinally fluid biglie cheminer, autematica big pressure relier means for Ui@ Lesser? lriperant conduit including; a refrigerant eoinpressor, an auxiliary conduit, automatic means responsive to and :for the purpose of relieving' predetermined excessive pressure within, said tiret-mentioned conduit for dis charging refrigerant to said auxiliary oondui, means responsive to a substantially lower pressure for discharging the refrigerant trom said auxiliary conduit, and means, including aconipouncl capable ol reacting chemically with the refrigerant onnectefl to said auxiliary conduit for normally drawing away the refrigerant and thereby :maintaining therein pressures lower than that required to actuate the auxiliary conduit pres sure (,lisifharging means.

ift. lin a refrigeration apparatus, in cornhination, a. continuous pressure resistant retrigfm-ant conduit including a refrigerant compressor, an auxiliary conduit, automatic means iesl'ioiisive to and 'for the purpose of relieving predetermined excessive pressure within said trst-n1entioned conduit ior discharging refrigerant to said auxiliary conduit, means responsive to a substantially lower pressure 'For discl'iarging refrigerant from said auxiliary conduit, ineens eonueel'ed to said auxiliary conduit iter indican ing' a condition oi impending operation oi the refrigerant discharging means,l andy means `for normally drawing away the re# frgeraut and thereby maintaining Within the ausiliary conduit pressures lower than that required to actuate the auxiliary oonduit pressure discharging means. v

lf3. ln a refrigeration apparatus, in com- `hiuation7 a continuous'ammonia pressure retant conduit including apressure iniposinn' means, an auxiliary Conduit, automatic, nieaus responsive to and for the purpose oi: relieving predetermined excessive ammonia pressure within said tust-mentioned conduit Vlor dist-hargriiug` ammonia to said auxiliary conduit, means responsive to a substantially lower pressure tor discharging ammonia,

'from such auxiliary conduit and means heated/to said auxiliary conduit *for mally drawing away the refrigerant and thereby maintaining in said auxiliary conduit pressures lower than. that required to :attuate the auxiliary conduit pressure fliseharging-meaus. V

i6. 'la a `rtiri@eration apparatus, in cornhination, a continuo s ammonia 'pressure sistant conduit including a pressure impos iup" means, an auxiliary conduit, automatic :mains responsive to and for the purpose ot relieving predetermined excessive pressure ing means, an auxilialy-conduit, automatic means responsive to and for the purpose ot' relieving predetern'lined excessive pressure within said first-mentioned conduit, means responsive to a substantially lower pressure for discharging ammonia from said auxiliary eonduit, means including a compound capable of reacting ehemieally with the ain-l monia to torni ammoniates eonneoted to said auxiliary conduit for normally drawing away the ammonia and thereby `maintainingr in said auxiliaiyy conduit pressures llower than that required to actuate the auxiliary conduit pressure discharp'inpr nieans,'moans for coolingl said anunoninte-forming means and thereby 'Facilitatingthe formation of such ammoniates, means for heating.)r said a:limonade-forming means and thereby dissoc'iatingg' such ammoniates, and means for returning;` the ammoniav product of such dissoeiation to the ainu'lvonia conduit.

lil. ln a refrigeration apparatus in eo1nliiuation, a continuous pressure resistant retrigerant conduit including a refrigerant compressor, an auxiliary Conduit, automatic means respnnsireto and tori the purpose oi 'relieving' predetermined excessive pressure Within saidftirst-mentioned conduit for discharging refrigerant to said auxiliary conduit, means responsive to a substantially lower pressure Jfor ilisoharginer refrigerant from said auxiliary conduit, and mcansoon-- nected to said auxiliary conduit for normally .maintaining therein pressures lower than. that required to actuate the auxiliary ronduit #pressure dieclair-ringA means.

lin testimony whereof l afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRED E. MillTHEl/VS. Witnesses: f

lvaaenniurn L. GRIMM, Anonimi' C. MATTHEWS. 

